This invention generally relates to precision coating applicators and more particularly to precision coating applicators for repairing blemishes in coated substrates.
Precision coating applicators are utilized for various purposes, including repairing blemishes in coated substrates, as well as adding intricate designs to substrates. Many conventional precision coating applicators utilize a small brush for applying the coating. Such applicators are desirable when applying a coating to a relatively broad area, such as a paint chip, however, when applying a coating to a narrow area, such as a scratch, the brush may not be accurate enough.
More accurate coating applicators are known for applying coatings to narrow areas. Examples of such coating applicators are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,416 to Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 2,070,953 to Morgan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,254 to Maynard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,477 to Doo and. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,254,299 and 6,283,633 to Russo. The Hill, Morgan and Russo patents disclose applicators with sliding nibs for applying lacquer to automotive bodies, while the Maynard and Doo patents disclose applicators having needles or elongated tubes. In addition to the applicators disclosed in the foregoing patents, numerous commercial automotive touch-up paint applicators with sliding nibs have been sold in the U.S. since at least the late 1980""s. Examples of such commercial automotive touch-up paint applicators include the KRYLON CAR COLOR and KRYLON TOUCH AND GO touch-up paint applicators sold by Borden in the late 1980""s.
It would be desirable to provide a precision coating applicator that can be used for both narrow and broad areas and is easy to use. The present invention is directed to such a precision coating applicator and a method of using the same.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, an applicator is provided for applying a coating composition to a substrate. The applicator includes a body having a reservoir for holding the coating composition. A housing is releasably secured to the body. Both a brush applicator and a point applicator are secured to the housing. The brush applicator includes a shaft with a brush extending therefrom. The shaft extends into the reservoir. The point applicator is connected to the reservoir for receiving the coating composition therefrom and includes an application element extending from the housing. The application element is movable relative to the housing.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, an applicator is provided for applying at least one coating composition to a substrate. The applicator includes a body having at least one reservoir for holding the at least one coating composition. The body has opposing first and second ends. A brush applicator is connected to the first end of the body and includes a shaft with a brush extending therefrom. The shaft extends into the at least one reservoir. A point applicator is connected to the second end of the body for receiving the at least one coating composition from the at least one reservoir. The point applicator includes an application element extending from the housing and being movable relative to the body.
Also provided in accordance with the present invention is a method of repairing blemishes in a paint film using an applicator embodied in accordance with either the first or second embodiments described above, wherein the brush applicator is used to deposit a coating composition in one blemish and the point applicator is used to deposit the coating composition in another blemish.